The 'In Between'
by Alycat
Summary: BUFFY/SPIKE: Spike is haunted by a mysterious lover from his past. As Buffy helps him solve this mystery, the two realize they can no longer bury their true feelings for one another, no matter what the consequences are. PLEASE RR!
1. Laney

A/N- This takes place in season seven, so if you haven't seen it, and are the type of person who makes a hit list of people who spoil television shows, be warned. (And if this description fits you, seek help now)  
  
Title: The 'In Between'  
  
Author: Alycat  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Joss owns all. This makes me sad. *****************************************************************  
  
The 'In Between'  
  
"William! Stop it!" the girl giggled. William continued to tickle her despite her protests. "William! Please!" she was able to say through gasps of laughter.  
  
"Aww, Laney, I just can't help myself. You're bloody adorable when you laugh," William whispered into her ear, making Laney giggle again at the touch of his lips to her skin. "I wrote something for you this morning," he cooed softly.  
  
"Oh William, another poem is it? Do read it to me."  
  
William reached into the pocket of his button down shirt and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. He unfolded it to read, but spoke the words into her heart. He knew all to well what was on the sheet of paper, but needed it to hide behind in case she thought his poem was distasteful. He spoke: "A bluebird shines with the light of morning, sun dripping slowly upon my cheek, as I dream of my love. Her hair auburn with elegance, her eyes youthful with innocence, her lips lush with passion. And as the song of my bluebird breaks the silence of the morn, I dream only of she, my love." William lifted his head from behind the paper, daring to look into her eyes.  
  
The color in her cheeks turned rosy, but she took his hand and looked into his searching eyes. "Oh, William. That was beautiful." He carefully took a strand of her auburn-red hair and tucked it behind her ear before leaning in and kissing her lips gently. As he pulled away, he felt his heart melt, and he opened his eyes. Laney gave him a shy smile of contentment and opened her mouth to say something-- but couldn't-- a gust of icy wind shot by them and Laney's body turned blue. William could only see her in flashes, darkness surrounding them both. Laney's body was now dripping with blood, some black with age, the rest of it red, ripe as an apple. Her hair now wiry and tangled with pain instead of lacey with life. And upon her neck, two teeth marks could be seen, blood constantly flowing from them.  
  
"Nooooo!" William yelled until his own voice became but a distant echo.  
  
Laney was dead.  
  
********************************* *********************************  
  
Spike awoke suddenly, chills running down his spine. "Bloody Hell," he said to the empty basement that surrounded him. He sat in the darkness for a moment before feeling the need to be someplace else. anyplace else.. just NOT here. He got up from his bed and walked up the stairs into Buffy's kitchen. He went to the fridge to get some blood, but realized that, at the moment, blood was the last thing he wanted to see. Spike didn't know where else to go, so he went to the only person who would understand: Buffy. Spike walked upstairs quietly, being sure not to wake any of the SIT's who were scattered about the Summers' home. When reached Buffy's room, he silently opened the door and entered. Her room was the only place in the house not filled with bloody SIT's. Spike took a rocking chair from the corner of her room and placed it by the foot of her bed. He sat in it gently, careful not to make noise, and stared over to the Slayer he loved. Just looking at her eased his fears about what the dream he'd just had meant. If there was one thing in the world Spike found was constant, it was Buffy. He hoped she wouldn't be mad if he just sat there for the rest of the night and watched her sleep, because that was exactly what he planned on doing.  
  
***  
  
"Spike. Spike. Spike!" Buffy yelled, finally getting Spike awake on her third attempt.  
  
"Mm, uhh, uhh, what?" Spike asked groggily, his eyes not yet open.  
  
"Spike, get up! The sun's about two inches away from incinerating your thumb!" Buffy said, irritated at his slow movements. The idea of losing a thumb got Spike up in a hurry. "What are you doing in here? You don't just walk into my room and decide to stay here the night! How am I going to explain you walking out of here first thing in the morning to my friends? They aren't going to get the right idea!" Buffy whispered to Spike in a hushed tone, not wanting the quietness of 'sleeping SIT's' to end.  
  
Spike was back into full awareness, and a little hurt that Buffy was so adamant about him not being in her room. "I'm sorry, love, but I had this awful dream last night and I couldn't think of anywhere else to go," he explained honestly, realizing how dumb this sounded.  
  
"You mean you weren't in here last night to sneak a peek at me in underwear?" Buffy asked, feeling her cheeks redden slightly at the proposal of the idea. She was acting so immature. After all, it wasn't like he hadn't seen her in panties before. or less. Plus, Spike meant something to her. Her feelings for him were more than that of a close friend, but she wasn't sure she was ready to open these floodgates of emotion again. Not with the First at war with her.  
  
"No!" Spike said quickly. Was that all she thought of him? He wasn't some stalker-type-obsessive-sick-minded vampire. anymore, at least. "Last night, I had this dream, well, it wasn't really a dream. It was one of those memories, you know? The ones you said Angel used to have, where he saw people he'd killed, except, mine was different. There was this girl from my past. Back when I was human. I don't even remember anything other than what the dream told me. But the end was wrong. We were talking and suddenly she became only flashes of a dead corpse."  
  
Buffy could see how much this had shaken Spike, and she wanted so badly to tell him everything would be alright. "Spike, don't worry, we'll figure out what's haunting you. Tell me, who was this girl?"  
  
Spike looked into Buffy's eyes.  
  
"She was my first love."  
  
******************************** *******************************  
  
".Yea, but still, why do praying mantis girls kill praying mantis guys after they mate? I mean, did they ever think about the children? Imagine the dysfunctional childhood that would happen when the conversation of 'Mommy, why did you kill daddy?' occurs?" Dawn said babbling as she finished her Cheerios.  
  
"Dawny, could we lay off the praying mantis talk? I've come a little too close to death-by-female-bug to be able to enjoy my breakfast while discussing it," Xander said as he shivered at the memory of Miss French. "So Buff, what's on today's agenda? The Research Crew of Dawn, Will, and myself are free for the day."  
  
"Research Crew, huh?" Buffy said smiling.  
  
"I'm Vice President! But Will promised if she ever went blackey evil again, I can take over her position as Pres.," Dawn piped in.  
  
"And I of course remain at the neutral position of Treasurer," added Xander.  
  
"Well, as thrilled as I am that you guys have this whole go-team- go thing working for you, there's not much that needs researching. We basically know all there is to know about the First, which unfortunately helps us only in the Zilch department." Buffy sighed. She considered asking them about Spike's dream, but really, there wasn't much anyone could do until it at least happened a second time. "Have you guys seen where Spike went?"  
  
"Well, last I saw he was zonked out on the couch," Xander said, gesturing towards the family room.  
  
"Already? I mean, he didn't get much sleep last night, but he's only been up for a half hour," Buffy added.  
  
"I'd be more than glad to wake him up for ya. What do you say, a little ice water on the head sound fun?" Xander said, laughing at his own idea.  
  
Buffy smiled. "Actually, I think we should just let him rest." Buffy turned her head and watched Spike as he slept. Very slowly, he started shivering, until it looked as though his entire body was shaking.  
  
***  
  
"Allana! Allana! Are you here?" a woman called out into an empty room. "I swear, if I could only keep track of that girl!"  
  
From the ceiling above, William snickered. "Shh, William! Mother will hear us! If she found us up here together. well, I don't even want to imagine that!" Laney said, as the couple lay beneath the covers of an old bed in the attic.  
  
"Oh, but Allana, your mother does like me so," William said teasingly, knowing her mother did not permit Laney to date boys without an escort.  
  
Laney giggled, "Don't call me that!" She put her head on his chest as he stroked her hair. "So, do you feel different?"  
  
"Not like I thought I would. I feel complete with you Laney," William whispered.  
  
"As do I with you."  
  
William stopped stroking her hair for a moment, and Laney looked up at him, a soft warmth in her face. "Laney, I love you."  
  
And with those three words spoken, Laney closed her eyes, her body turning cold and blue upon William once more. The blood returned, there was more of it now. And Laney's fingers wrinkled with age and anger. Suddenly, with fury, her eyes darted open revealing red pupils surrounding her green colored eyes. Her hair remained youthful and flowing around her dead body. William jumped out of the bed in pure horror at the sight of his love, but the body of Laney sat up and stared at him with crimson eyes.  
  
And from her pale blue lips she murmured with rage the single word, "You!"  
  
***  
  
Buffy hurried over to Spike, who was now shaking uncontrollably. "Spike! Spike, wake up!" she yelled, trying to hold him down and keep him still. All at once his eyes shot open and his body finally stopped its shaking fit. "Spike, can you hear me? Are you all right?"  
  
"Love, make it stop. Please, just make it stop," he whispered to her before collapsing back onto the couch in exhaustion. 


	2. An Unknown Past

"Will, there must be something you can do. Isn't there some kind of spell that could keep Spike awake until we figure out what's wrong with him?" Buffy asked hopefully.  
  
"I don't know Buffy. I mean, I guess I could speed his system up with a high dose of caffeine, but he'd just go into a vamp hyper mode and might not be able to control his vampire instincts," Willow said, a little frightened that Buffy seemed to be considering the idea. "Was there something you didn't get about the whole 'Grrr, me vampire, you food' scenario?" Will added, making sure Buffy dropped the idea before she became Spike's dessert.  
  
"No, I just. There's nothing else?" Buffy seemed nervous, and slightly irritated at Will's comment.  
  
"Not that I can think of."  
  
"Well, we can't just leave him like this!" Buffy yelled, but looked at Willow and sighed in apology after seeing Will's hurt expression. "It's just, if you could've seen how scared he was. I've. I've never seen Spike afraid. We've been through how many apocalypses together, but not once have I seen him scared of looking death in the eye. I don't know, maybe it's his soul, but Will, whatever is haunting him, it must be bad. It must be really bad."  
  
"Don't worry Buffy. We'll figure this out," Willow replied. She hated to see her friend in pain, but she could never understand Buffy and Spike's relationship, whether it was love or hate, or something in between. But Willow knew one thing for sure; whatever their relationship was, the bond was dangerously strong. Buffy had had to face the possibility of just about every one of her friends and family dying, usually on a daily basis, but Spike was never an expendable option. Willow knew, somewhere deep in her gut, where she held the remains of her dark magicks, the memory of killing a human. and Tara, that if it came down to Spike dying or Hell on earth, Buffy wouldn't be able to kill him. That thought sent shivers up her back and Willow wanted to end the conversation as soon as possible. "Where's Spike now?"  
  
"Back at the house with the SIT's. I better get him out of there before he kills them all out of annoyance," Buffy said with a little laugh, slightly hoping Spike would do just that. She hated to think it, but the SIT's were really just a bother, a very huge pain in her ass.  
  
"Hey, why don't you go check on him, and I'll call the research team and meet at the school so we can start cracking the books. I'll tell Wood we need a room or something, he can probably help too."  
  
"Yea, okay sure. Thanks a bunch Will," Buffy said, slightly dazed, but smiling. And with that she head back home. Home to Spike.  
  
***  
  
"Here, William, try some of these strawberries, I brought them just for you," the girl whispered sensually in Spike's ear, holding a chocolate covered strawberry to his mouth.  
  
It was Laney. Well, it looked like Laney from Spike's perspective, yet they were floating in an unknown realm, darkness as a background, and the usual glow Laney had was different. In fact, Spike realized that he wasn't referring to himself as William, like she had. He had all of his memories including the ones after 'William's' death and his rebirth as Spike. Who was this girl? And where the bleeding hell were they?  
  
"Shh, your thoughts are loud William. But don't you see? You're only dreaming. This is a dream."  
  
"Who are you.and why are you haunting me?" Spike asked, staring in bewilderment at the girl.  
  
"William, don't ask such questions. You know who I am. I am Laney, your love. You know that much. If you hush you will know more soon. Don't you see? You have blocked me from your memories. Well, I wish not to remain dead to you, in theory at least. You will remember me, and what you did to me, soon enough."  
  
"What I did to you? Now let's get this straight. You are the one haunting me."  
  
"Ahh, that may be William," Laney said tenderly, and as she did, she morphed into the dead corpse that had been haunting Spike. She was blue in color, her lips of violet, but her hair still long, wavy, and auburn. Even in death she was vibrant, yet there was pain in her eyes. "But things are not always as they appear."  
  
Spike cried out at the sight of her transformation. There was pain and rage in her voice. He felt it. The agony was as if knives were piercing his skin, and it was as much hers as it was his.  
  
"Do you feel it William?" Laney asked him, knowing his answer.  
  
"Why are you doing this to me!? Just sod off and leave me be!" Spike yelled, the pain searing him in ways he never knew possible. He couldn't see the blades that kept diving into his skin, but he could sure as hell feel them.  
  
"If only I could, William. But you need to know the truth. You need to know who you really are," she smiled with knowledge, "No worries, my love. In time you will know. And so will she."  
  
With that, the talking corpse of Laney faded into the darkness, and vanished. The pain left Spike's body and he felt himself falling through atmosphere.  
  
***  
  
Spike opened his eyes. He was covered in sweat and still shaking from the dream. He looked about himself in fear, then held his knees to his chest and began rocking himself back and forth. His eyes were shut, and his speech barely coherent. In fact, the only word that could be made out was the one he repeated endlessly: Buffy. 


	3. Sealed With A Kiss

"Look, Will, we all know Spike has helped us in the past. And I'm not saying we could've stopped some of those apocalypses without his help, but. I'm not going to go out of my way for the creature that has basically tried to kill all of us at least once. And should I even mention the whole trying to rape our friend thing?" Xander asked, as he Willow, Dawn, and Wood sat in the school's library, a place seldom used even after the school's remodeling.  
  
"I'd have to agree with Xander on that one," Wood piped. "I'm all for not helping the murderous fiend."  
  
"Well, I think we already knew your position on the subject, Wood. And I hate to add to the anti-Spike squad, but Buffy really needs to be putting her energy toward fighting the First." Willow concluded. "I mean, if Giles even knew about this"--  
  
"How can you guys even say that?" Dawn yelled at the group. "Spike isn't some creature-feature, he's our friend. You know who almost died trying to save me from Glory? Spike. You know who allowed himself to be tortured rather than give away my identity as the key? Spike. You know who searched the world for a soul to be a better man? Spike. You know who has saved you all dozens of times in battle? Spike. And you know if any of us were in trouble, who would fight to the death in order to save us? Spike would. I know you guys have never been 'yay Spike', but he deserves better than what you guys are giving him. He's one of us, and if he's in pain, we're going to help him. Understood?" Dawn lectured, taking a deep breath and releasing it. Man, she sounded way too much like her sister.  
  
"I'm guessing the vampire-loving gene runs in the family," Wood muttered to no one in particular.  
  
Willow faced Dawn, in apology. "Dawny, you're right, Spike's been more than a good friend to us, but don't you think with the First around, that focusing our energy elsewhere isn't such a good idea?"  
  
"But doesn't Spike's whole dream-haunting-thingy have to do with the First? I mean, similar things happened to Angel years ago, and it was the First. I just thought that the two were connected. Didn't you guys?" Dawn responded.  
  
Willow and Xander stared at each other; the thought that Spike's dreams and the First were connected obviously hadn't even crossed their minds.  
  
Willow's mind was beginning to shoot ideas everywhere. "Xander, Wood, start cracking the books. Look up anything dealing with haunted nightmares, dream deception, etc. Dawn, google up everything you can about the Bringers. They were what caused Angel to have those visions of the people he killed. I'm going to call Angel. If the First is actually involved in Spike's dreams, he's in for a hell of a ride.  
  
***  
  
"So she said she was haunting to let you know who you really are?" Buffy questioned Spike, as she drew a wet cloth down the side of his face gently, realizing he was still quite shaken. "God Spike, you have the strangest taste in women!" Buffy added, trying to lighten the mood by setting herself up for one of Spike's lame come backs.  
  
But he said nothing in response. Instead, he remained silent and still, wishing the pain he was feeling would leave. He wasn't aching from the memory of knives in his skin, but from another. His soul knew he had done something awful to Laney, and although he had yet to know how he pained her, he was already in deep heartache.  
  
Buffy watched him quietly for what seemed like hours. He didn't move and she didn't leave him. But when she saw a single tear finally escape Spike's eye, she leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. She held him in her arms and she wished she could do more. She wished she could tell him how she felt about him. But how could she, when she herself didn't know? So she did the only thing she could think of for the time being: "Shh, Spike, it's okay. I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you." She whispered this tenderly yet firmly into his ear.  
  
Buffy's voice brought Spike back to reality. He felt her arms around him and closed his eyes, taking in the gesture of affection. God, he loved her. Even when everything in his unlife went terribly wrong, Spike could always count on Buffy to be there for him. He wanted more than anything to take comfort in her. He wanted to forget Laney, the past, and most especially the future. He was with Buffy now. And she would make everything right. She always did.  
  
Buffy noticed a slight change in Spike's demeanor. He turned his head and looked deep into her hazel eyes. They stared into each other's souls, and for a moment they shared a silence that spoke what their voices could not.  
  
And when he turned his head toward her, looked deep into her eyes, and kissed her fully on the mouth, she found herself not resisting. 


	4. The First Move

Spike continued to kiss Buffy, the kiss intensifying by the second. He wanted to get lost in her depths, like she had gotten lost in him not but a year ago. But times had changed, and Buffy pulled away slowly, almost regretful in her actions. She averted her eyes from meeting Spike's.  
  
"I'm sorry," Spike whispered to her, and the silence that followed was awkward and long. This obviously wasn't something either of them were ready to deal with at the moment.  
  
"I'm not," Spike heard Buffy eventually whisper in response. He wasn't sure if the comment was meant for him or for herself, but she changed the subject quickly. "So, about this Laney issue. Willow and the gang are doing the research thing. They promised to help in any way they can. They think this whole thing may be related to the First. Will's calling Angel for more info, and I thought--  
  
Spike put two fingers to her lips gently, to stop her babbling. "Thanks, love. I mean it." He gave her a slight smile, which she returned.  
  
"So, do you remember anything else about Laney? About what happened to her? Or why she's haunting you?"  
  
"No, and that's just the thing! I don't remember a bloody bit about her! When she's in my dreams it's as if I know her. We have this connection; there are memories and emotions. and love. But when I wake up, I can't remember a sodding thing about her, except for what happens in the dream. Only what happens in the dream. Only that she always dies; I always kill her," Spike said, his voice saddened and frustrated.  
  
Buffy sighed. "There must be something else, some sort of. key element that we're missing. Next time you fall asleep, try to remember the details of what happens. Look at the color of the ground, the jewelry Laney wears, distinguishing features, any signs to let us know more information."  
  
"I'll try, pet. But I can't make any promises. If you could see what she looks like. her corpse. I've never seen anything--" Spike looked away from Buffy, ashamed by his weakness. "It's hard to remember anything else."  
  
***  
  
"Guys, I think we have a lead," Willow announced as she entered the library, rejoining the gang. "Angel said that Buffy was once in his dreams- -"  
  
"Please stop, I don't even want to imagine the dreams he's had about her," Xander interrupted, wrinkling his face.  
  
"Not like that, Xander! I mean she was actually in one of his dreams. Somehow she was able to get into his dreams, instead of her own," Willow said, not sure everyone was following.  
  
"Unless someone forced her to be there!" Dawn piped in.  
  
"Exactly! If I could just find a spell to do something similar to that, Buffy could see if the First is involved in Spike's nightmares," Willow concluded.  
  
"But wouldn't Spike be able to tell if the First was in his dreams?" Dawn asked, a little confused, as usual.  
  
"Well, according to Angel, the First practically drove him insane. He couldn't tell what was reality from what wasn't. If that's the case, then Spike wouldn't be able to tell if he's seeing the First, or if he's seeing Laney."  
  
"That's just great. So you're telling me Spike's been conversing with the First for the last couple nights and doesn't even know it? He could be giving away all our information!" Xander ranted, still irritated that they'd decided to help his least favorite vampire.  
  
"If we even had any information," Willow said, more to herself than anyone else.  
  
"It's not his fault!" Dawn added defensively.  
  
Wood just sat back and watched the three of them banter back and forth, with an evil smile slowly forming on his face. He'd been doing some research too, and he'd found something that was crucial to their investigation, something that could mean life or death for Spike. The only problem was he wasn't quite sure he was willing to share the information that would help the bloodsucking fiend who'd killed his mother. The tables were finally turning and Wood at last had the upper hand on the scoobies. He envisioned the image of Spike killing his mother and in return thought just one word: Checkmate. 


	5. And The Plot Thickens

*********************************************  
  
Willow looked over suspiciously at Wood. He was awfully quiet, and there was a look on his face like- no, this was Wood. He wouldn't turn against them. Then, again this wasn't for the greater good. just the greater good of Spike.  
  
'Hey Xander, can you hear me?' Willow asked telepathically.  
  
'Yea. Oh, hey cool. I thought only witches could do this! Hey can you hear me singing this? Happy Birthday to you. Happy-'  
  
'Xander stop! Act normal. I think Wood's up to something. Watch his eyes. It's like he's not even here.'  
  
'Well, what do you want to do?'  
  
Willow knew there was no time to take any chances. Her eyes turned black as she filled herself with magicks. "By the power of Osiris, I command thee!" She yelled, her power throwing Wood up against the wall of the library.  
  
Wood never believed the cute redhead could actually have tried ending the world until now. "What the--"  
  
"Don't speak," Willow ordered and his mouth immediately shut by the force of her power. Willow still knew how dangerous magicks were. After everything that she had been through, she'd never forget. Even now, as she used Forces from the Earth to keep Wood from moving, she felt a twinge in her stomach of both pain and excitement. She felt the pain from past memories and a fear of losing herself, and yet the excitement of knowing if only she could delve a little deeper into the power, she'd succumb to blissful magicks again. Willow quickly tossed the thought out of her mind and returned to the matter at hand: Robin Wood.  
  
"Now Wood, why don't you tell us what's really on your mind?"  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
"Oh really. Now, I may not be psychic, but the look on your face as we were just talking was nothing short of evil. Look, I know how you feel about Spike," Willow said, weakening her magickal force, "but all of this research isn't just for him. This could be a breakthrough on our knowledge about the First." Willow insisted and she released the magicks that had bound him against the wall. He fell. "So please, Wood, if you know anything that could help us, please tell us immediately."  
  
Wood noticed the redhead's yearn for the power she'd just lost, and he found it rather amusing.  
  
"I'm sorry none of you seem to trust my decision making skills, but I want to stop the First just as much as the rest of you!"  
  
"So there's no information you're holding back?" Willow asked weakly.  
  
"I have absolutely no information that could help us figure out what the First is up to," Wood confirmed. Which was true, he thought. Wood knew nothing about the First. The only knowledge his research had let him be privy to was the future of Spike's existence: Dust!  
  
**************************************  
  
"William. William, baby wake up," Laney whispered in his ear softly. William groggily opened his eyes to see his curly fiery-haired lover staring back at him. "William, you slept through the entire production!" Laney giggled.  
  
And in fact it was true. The two of them were the only people filling the theatre which had moments ago been filled with people hearing the phrases "What light through yonder breaks?" and "A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet". But now the room was quiet and filled with the silent unknown that haunts every empty theatre.  
  
"I'm sorry, baby love. I didn't snore or anything did I?"  
  
"Only during the death scene. I thought it added to the effect, but that Cecily girl your mother is so fond of kept sending dirty glares your way."  
  
"She is a bit of a snob isn't she? I always thought--"  
  
And it was here William gained the delayed memory his true self: Spike, the vampire with soul. As he did, Laney once again turned cold and blue. A gold chain dangled from her neck with a pendant at the end as she cried out in agony, her body limp, dead. From behind Spike, a second Laney made her way down the isle. She held the youthful exuberance and poise of the Laney who was moments ago alive.  
  
"Tragic isn't it? The way I'm just lying there, cold, tortured, alone. You did it, you know. You killed me."  
  
"The First," Spike whispered. These nightmares just seemed to be getting better and better.  
  
"At your service. You're wondering why this is happening to you? Why you deserve the pain of reliving my death again and again?"  
  
Spike nodded slightly in the affirmative. He tried with all his might to resist the pull of insanity the First sent off.  
  
"Here's your answer, sweetheart: Love." Spike looked confused, trying to comprehend. "The answer's plain in front of you and you can't even see it, can you? For everybody you love, you bring unbearable pain. That is your plague, William."  
  
"Don't call me that. You're bloody lying," Spike spat back at the Laney double.  
  
"Oh, really? I may be manipulative but I'm not a liar. Think about it. You tortured and killed me."  
  
The First morphed into Cecily. "My reputation was ruined when you were done with me!"  
  
Cecily changed into Drusilla, who carefully placed her teeth upon Spike's neck, and bit into the air, making Spike moan softly. "As for me, my hands were chained behind my head, like this (Dru demonstrated, in a way that sent shivers down Spike's spine) as you offered my life to the Slayer."  
  
Drusilla morphed into Spike's mother, becoming old and frail. "I gave you life, boy. And how do you repay me? You turn me into a demon and then kill me a second time!"  
  
Spike's mother turned away for a second, changing into Buffy before turning back around. "And me? Not only did you try to rape me, but soon you'll-- Well, I've said too much already."  
  
And with that, The First disappeared, leaving Spike alone in the dark, dank theatre, only to awake from the nightmare moments later in yet another cold sweat. 


	6. Reality Check Part 1

A/N: Thanks for the reviews people! Keep them coming, please! Any comments or constructive criticism will be greatly appreciated. This story will become VERY Spuffy. ;)  
  
**************************************************  
  
Reality Check Part 1  
  
Ever since his last dream, Spike had been feeling unbearably weak. He could barely walk around, let alone fight evil. Buffy had been tending to him for the last hour or so. They hadn't said much to each other. Silence was all they needed, and yet Buffy knew that she'd eventually have to press him for information from the nightmare.  
  
"Spike?" Buffy whispered softly, and at seeing his eyes perk at her voice, she continued. "Spike, I know you're not in the mood for this, but you really need to tell me what happened in that dream. We don't know how much time we have until the First makes its appearance again."  
  
Spike opened his eyes and looked at her softly. His heart was literally pained by the beauty she held. Not just physically, it was more than that. It was her heart. He could sense it: smell it, feel it, see it, hear it, and God how he wanted to taste it.  
  
But her voice brought him to life, and he knew it was time to talk about his most recent encounter with the First.  
  
"Okay, love," he whispered. "I'll talk."  
  
Buffy smiled at him lovingly. He was trying to be strong for her. She had to admit, it was adorable. "Great, okay. Umm, let's start with where you were. What was the setting? Who was there? Any details you can remember will be much appreciated by Will when she hits the black art books, too," Buffy added, feeling as though with a pad and pen, she'd make the perfect journalist.  
  
Spike took a moment to rack his memory of all the events from the dream. It shouldn't have been hard; he'd been reliving it constantly for the past hour. But dreams have always been tricky that way. The more you force yourself to try to remember, the less you actually can.  
  
"Well, it was in an old theatre. We. Lacey and I. had been watching 'Romeo and Juliet', some performance I guess I'd slept through. Huh, lemme think. For a moment, I was William and Laney was Laney. Just for a moment. As soon as I remembered what was going on, that I was actually Spike, she. Laney. died. Again. I watched her go cold again." Spike's eyes almost watered at the thought of her limp, dead body, but he swallowed his emotion. "Then a duplicate of her came down the isle, told me love was my plague," Spike said, not meeting Buffy's eyes for the last part. "She, I mean It, showed me how I bring 'unbearable pain' to everyone love and have ever loved. The First became everyone I've ever loved." Spike forced himself to look into Buffy's eyes. "It became you."  
  
*******************************  
  
Willow was driving insanely over the speed limit as she, Xander, and Wood were on their way to Buffy's house. Wood was in the back, his hands bound together with leather (which Xander had conveniently provided), and his face covered in bruises. Willow had been able to beat the truth out of Wood, who, after a couple of blows to the head and seeing Will go all black- eyed again, gave in. He told them everything he knew. Will had never once gotten a speeding ticket; well, for that matter, she'd never exceeded the speed limit. But from what Wood had told them, this was one time she was willing to break the rules. The car skidded into the driveway, and Will, Xander, and Wood hopped out quickly, making their way to the Summers' front door. Will opened the door and without wasting a second started talking.  
  
"Buffy, Spike! Change of plans. The First found out that Wood. I mean, Wood found out that the First. Actually this has nothing to do with the First. Well, maybe it does but." Willow realized she was babbling, an often side effect of her panic. "I'll cut to the chase. Spike, unless we can figure out what the heck is going on here, you have about five hours before you poof into little dusties," Willow managed through gasps over tired breath. But as she finally took a moment to breathe, she realized neither Spike nor Buffy had heard a word of what she'd said.  
  
They were too busy with themselves, lying on the living room couch, lost in mid-kiss. a kiss that didn't look like one they were planning to end anytime soon. 


End file.
